Archives For Bible

The Words Are Still Wet

Erik Raymond —  September 19, 2012

The other day I walked into the gas station by my house and saw several editions of the morning paper in its bin. The trouble was it was the early evening–the news was over 12 hours old. Shortly the bin will be cleaned out making way for the new, news as the old news is discarded. We don’t want yesterday’s paper; we want today’s. Far from being relevant the paper is relegated to a functional purpose such as stuffing boxes or swatting flies.

Shortly after walking out of the gas station I picked up my Bible. I read of the news. It was reported over 2,000 years ago:

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Ask Yourself, “Do I smell?”

Erik Raymond —  May 17, 2012

Years ago my wife and I met a newlywed couple that provided us with no small amount of comic relief. This was seen starkly one day at a church meeting when we met them in the parking lot and the wind was at their back. We smelled garlic–a lot of garlic! As they approached it was overwhelming. Behind a full-toothed grin the new hubby said, “My wifey can cook!”

During the events of the morning we got disconnected. My wife and I tried to find them but were unsuccessful. That is, until my wife channelled her inner Sherlock, she said: “Pick up the garlic scent.” We found the trail of garlic and quickly tracked them down.

As Christians we understand that there is a difference between exposure to biblical truth and consumption of it. The difference of course is that it (the truth) gets down into you. It proliferates everything about you. It seeps into your heart. It reorientates your mind. It recalibrates what you love. It orders what you do. As a result of consuming biblical truth we leave a scent behind. Like my friends who walked among a hazy fog of garlic we as Christians should be leaving a refreshing incense cloud of the grace of Christ.

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Resist “Swish and Spit” Devotions

Erik Raymond —  January 3, 2012

We have flipped our calendars to the new year with excitement and optimism. And as Christians this means that Bible reading plans are making their rounds and are being gobbled up by well-intentioned, eager hands. I celebrate this as a good thing.

But hold on for a second, I have a quick question.

What did you read yesterday? No, not what chapter, but what did you read? What from God’s Word got ahold of you to produce a response? Did anything evoke conviction or delight? Did something particular from your reading explode in your heart with thanksgiving?

Hopefully the answer is yes. But too often the answer is, “Wait. Hold on. …I can’t remember.”

This reminds me of childhood trips to the dentist. Do you recall after the dentist put that horrific flouride treatment in your mouth? He then would spray in a bunch of water that you would lean over and (try to) spit in the small circular sink next to your head.

Sadly too many of us have a “swish and spit” devotional life. We grab a little Bible reading, swish it around in the morning, then spit it out on the way out the door. The treasures from the Word don’t get swallowed and digested but rather spit out quickly.

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Let’s Be Straight Here: the world of the Bible stinks in many ways

Erik Raymond —  December 15, 2011

 Broken-Down House is a book on Christian living by the prominent and helpful author Paul David Tripp. It is about living with the biblically informed mind of what this world is really like and who you are really like (with and without Christ). This quote about the Bible is helpful in reminding us of the reality of the Bible. It is for our world to bring us to the next.

I am more and more persuaded that when we characterize the Bible as a book about spirituality, we do it and ourselves a disservice. The Bible is not a higher-plan tome about some mystical life of spiritual devotion. It does not teach blissful separation from the brokenness of everyday life. No, the Bible is a book about this world. It is a gritty, honest book. When we read Scripture, we face the world as it actually is, in big-screen, high-def detail. God doesn’t pull any punches. He doesn’t paint over any cracks. He doesn’t flatter or avoid. There is no denial of what is real and true.

The sights and sounds of the Bible are familiar. They are the sights and sounds of the very same broken world you and I wake up to every day. Dirt and smoke are on every page. You can’t read very far without your nostrils and eyes being assaulted by the acrid air of the world gone bad. Let’s be straight here the world of the Bible stinks in many ways. Does it bother you when you read that? Does it come across to you as displaying a lack of faith? –Paul David Tripp, Broken Down House, pp. 26-27.

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All Bibles 45% off at Westminster Books

Erik Raymond —  November 22, 2011

This is good. All Bibles are 45% at Westminster Books (through 29 Nov). I know a lot of people buy Bibles for friends and family over the Christmas season. Take a spin over to Westminster Books and look around. They have quite a selection on sale.

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Contrasting God’s Word and Other Books

Erik Raymond —  November 17, 2011

I am enjoying this book quite a bit. In this section the author, Tony Reinke, is thinking about the differences between the Bible and other types of literature. Even more, he is working through how the Bible informs our reading of other books.

Scripture is the ultimate grid by which we read every book. Scripture is perfect, sufficient, and eternal. All other books, to some degree, are imperfect, deficient, and temporary. That means that when we pick books from the bookstore shelves, we read those imperfect books in light of the perfect Book, the deficient books in light of the sufficient Book, and the temporary books in light of the eternal Book. Man-made literature may be inspiring, but it is not divinely inspired—not in the way Scripture is inspired. Man-made literature may be empowered by the Holy Spirit to embody biblical truth, but it’s not breathed out by God. Man-made literature may contain truth, goodness, and beauty, but it is also fallible, imperfect, and of temporary value.

We could say that in contrast to God’s word all other books are temporary.

–Lit! A Christian Guide to Reading Books by Tony Reinke

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The Value of Asking Questions during Family Devotions

Erik Raymond —  September 15, 2011

I constantly find myself trying to tweak our family devotional routine. With 6 kids ranging from 3 months to 16 we have to make about as many adjustments as an NFL defense. This is good, it keeps you sharp.

One area that I have found repeatedly beneficial is the practice of asking questions. You may be thinking, “That is not very profound there brother.” And you may be right. But, it is also true that we often forget to ask questions, or at least ask them in an intentional manner.

Too often, teachers in general and dads in particular can get caught up in merely giving information. It is obviously very important that we give the information but it is also important that our family get the information.

One way that we can ensure that our family is getting it is to ask them questions as we are reading and teaching the passage.

Here are some helps in asking better questions.

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